Combination ladder



March 11, l952 c. R. HEAlvlLlN COMBINATION LADDER 2 SHEETS--SHEET lFiled Sept. 17. 1948 March 11, 1952 c. R. HEAxvlLlN 2,589,079

COMBINATION LADDER Filed sept. 17, 1948 2 sHEETs--sHEETz Patented Mar.11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE COMBINATION LADDER Charles R.Heaivilin, Indianola, Iowa, assignor to Wallace L. Speicher and GeraldW. Speicher, both of Indianola, Iowa Application September 17, 1948,Serial No.`49,801

2 Claims. (Cl. 22S-25) The principal object of my invention is toprovide an easily operated ladder that may be quickly changed for use asa stepladder, an extension ladder, an incline supported ladder, and anordinary ladder.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combination ladder thatis rigid and stable in any of its various adjustments.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a combinationladder that is economical in manufacture, durable 1n use and refined inappearance.

Theseand other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my combination ladder adjusted for useas a stepladder.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the locking means used withladder when it is adjusted as a stepladder, and is taken on line 2--2 ofFig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side view of my ladder adjusted for use as an extensionladder, and with a section cut away to more fully illustrate itsconstruction.

Fig. 4 is a side view of my ladder adjusted for a supporting surfacethat is not level or is inclined or variable such as on stair steps.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my ladder when folded, or when adjustedfor use as an ordinary ladder.

Many types of ladders have been developed and marketed in the last fewyears. The chief objection to such ladders, if they are of thestepladder type, is that they are not rigid or stable, and thereforeresult in serious accidents to the user as Well as property damage.Obviously, a stepladder is of constant height and often is found to beeither too short or too high. The only solution to this problemheretofore has been to purchase several stepladders having diiferentheights. In many instances no present type stepladder will suiiice, suchas on stairways. I have overcome such problems by providing acombination rigid ladder that even a child can operate, and which I willnow describe.

The numeral Il) designates in general, one section of my ladder whichmay be compared to an ordinary ladder having the usual two spaced apartuprights I I and I2 and the usual horizon- 2 tal rounds I3. The numeralI4 designates in general, the other section of my ladder, also havingthe usual spaced apart uprights I5 and I6 and the usual horizontalrounds I1. The two uprightsvof the second section I4 are spaced closertogether than are the uprights of the section I0, so that the formerwill nest inside the latter, as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral I8designates a flat based U-bracket member secured to the upper innersides of the two uprights, respectively, of the section II). ThisU-bracket member extends transversely of the section l0 and normallyloosely embraces the upper ends of the uprights of the section I4, whenthe ladder is folded, as shown in Fig. 5. A sleeve roller I9 may embracethe bottom Vofthe U-bracket if desired. The numeral 20 designates aplurality of horizontal pairs of notches cut in the inner side of theuprights of the section I4, respectively. One such pair of notches isnear the top end of the section I4 as shown in the drawings. To spreadthe two ladder sections IIJ and I4 to create a stepladder it is merelynecessary to place the upper pair of notches onto and around the upperround of the section I0 and move the bottom ends of the two sectionsaway from each other, ras shown in Fig. 1. notches will tighten onto theupper round of the section I 0 by virtue of the outer sides of the twouprights of the section I4 engaging and binding on the U-shaped bracketmember. The more the two sections are spread apart at their bottoms, thetighter will be the binding action, on the upper end of the section I4between the U-bracket and top round of the section I0. The notchesprevent any longitudinal movement of the two sections relative to eachother when the lower ends of the sections are spread. The confiningU-sh'aped bracket prevents this. On the other hand, when the twosections are folded, as shown in Fig. 5, the U-shaped bracket is notconfining and acts merely as a guide. Obviously, when folded thesections may be manually longitudinally slid relatively to each other.This is desirable when assembling, or when it is desired to separate thetwo sections into two ordinary ladders, or when it is desired to form anextension ladder, or when it is desired to use the stepladder on unevensurfaces, such as stairways. Obviously, on any supporting surface thatis not in a horizontal plane, the stepladder could not possiblyfunction, unless one section was shorter than the other section.However, in my device this is easily accomplished by merely sliding thesection I4 upwardly until a lower pair of Obviously, these notches areadjacent the top round of the section I and then spread the two sectionsinto a, stepladder. While this arrangement brings the top of the sectionI4 above the top of the section I0, it also raises the bottom plane ofthe section I4 above the bottom plane of the section I0, as shown inFig. 4. By placing the section I4 on the higher supporting surface andthe section I0 on the lower supporting surface, the stepladder will besupported in proper upright position. In Fig. 4 this is illustrated byplacing the shortened section I4 on the stair step 2| and they sectionI0 at a lower level. The inclination of the supporting surface willdetermine which pair of notches will be used to engage the top round ofthe section I0. Regardless of whether the ladder is adjusted to the formshown in Fig. lor the form shown in Fig. 4, I use an auxiliary l,bracemember 22. This brace 22 has at each end a strap iron 23, which extendsoutwardly and then downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, to make a ladderround engaging hook 24. After the ladder sections are spread, this braceis hooked at one end over a round of one section, and at its other endover a round of the other section, as shown in Fig. 1. Obviously, thisbraces the two sections of the ladder against spread or contraction ineither direction. A spring-loaded pawl 25 may be securedfin 'each end ofthe brace, as shown in Fig. 2, for yieldingly engaging the underside of`auladder round and thereby prevent the accidental'removal of the bracefrom its position on the twofrounds. When this brace is not needed, it-is unlatched from the rounds and stored on the upper outer side of thesection I0, by being hooked over retaining fingers 26, as shown in Fig.3 and Fig. 4. To make an extension ladder out of my device, the brace 22is stored, the ladder collapsed as shown in Fig. 5, and the section I4slid upwardly the desired distance, at which time the two downwardlyextending hook bars 21 are hooked over one of the rounds of the sectionI0, Vas shown in Fig. 3. These hook bars 21 are secured to the lowerinner sides of the two uprights of the section I4, respectively, andwhen engaging a round of the section I0, will rigidly prevent thespreading of the two ladder sections'. To change the ladder from anadjustable extension one, it is merely necessary to move'` the sectionI4 slightly upwardly to unlatch the hook bars from the round of thesection I.V When the two sections are folded, as shown in Fig. 5, thehook bars 21 should engage the bottom round of the section I0, therebysuccessfully holding the two sections together. To make two separateordinary ladders from my device, it is merely necessary to remove thesection I4 from under the U-shaped bracket on the section I0. The twosections are as easily reassembled. The usual ltie rods 28 may be usedin each section.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of mycombination ladder without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a combination ladder, a section having two uprights and aplurality of connecting rounds, a second section having two uprights anda plurality of connecting rounds; said two uprights of said secondsection being closer together than are the two uprights of said firstsection, a horizontal U-shaped bracket on the upper end portion of saidfirst section capable of embracing said second section, a frictionreducing member rotatively embracing the major portion of saidhorizontal U-shaped bracket, and semi-circular notches in the twouprights of said second section capable of selectively engaging theuppermost round of said first section at times.

2. In a combination ladder, a section having two uprights and aplurality of spaced apart connecing step members, a second sectionhaving two uprights and a plurality of spaced apart connecting stepmembers; said two uprights of said second section being closer togetherthan are the two uprights of said rst section, a bracket means on theupper end portion of said rst section capable of limiting the movementofsaid second section away from said rst section and notches formed in thetwo uprights of said second section capable of selectively engaging theuppermost step member of said iirst section.

CHARLES R. HEAIVILIN.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the le of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 329,922 Lyon Nov. 10, 1885725,377 Sturgeon Apr. 14, 1903 340,636 Lillow Jan. 8, 1907 967,252Shields Aug. 16, 1910 1,035,770 Blair Aug. 13, 1912 '1,588,295 BermanJune 8, 1926 1,837,187 Allen Dec. 22, 1931 2,223,911 Garnette Dec. 3,1940 2,488,461 Wysocki Nov. 15, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date496.267 Germany Apr. 22. 1930

